Legislators worked over the weekend ahead of the Opposite House Fiscal Committee Cutoff on Tuesday positioning the cannabis “agricultural worker” unionization bill for potential movement.
Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Monday April 7th, the 85th day of the 2025 regular session.
My top 4 takeaways:
- On Saturday, the Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee (WA Senate WM) heard testimony on the cannabis production unionization bill.
- HB 1141 - Cannabis Production Unions
- Majority Caucus Chair Lillian Ortiz-Self introduced legislation in the House to establish collective bargaining rights for cannabis “agricultural workers.”
- See the bill text, bill report, and fiscal note for more details.
- After passage in the House, the legislation was introduced in the Senate on March 13th.
- The bill was heard on March 25th in WA Senate LC where supporters and opponents recounted similar and at times identical reasoning as offered during the public hearing in the House in January.
- The hearing was punctuated by an unusual exchange between Republican Deputy Leader Drew MacEwen and Black Excellence in Cannabis leaders concerning receipt of a $30K donation from HB 1141 proponent UFCW 3000.
- On Tuesday April 1st, a proposed amendment by King was not adopted and the legislation was advanced in a strictly partisan vote.
- On Wednesday April 2nd, the committee report was read and the bill was referred to the WA Senate WM.
- In the House, the legislation was allowed to bypass fiscal committee consideration even though a partial fiscal note was available before the policy committee executive session projecting biennial expenses around $200K.
- Positions: testifying + not testifying = total (duplicates)
- Pro: 4 + 27 = 31 (2)
- UFCW 3000
- Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (WSLC)
- Black Excellence in Cannabis (BEC)
- American Federation of Teachers Washington, AFL-CIO (AFT Washington)
- Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE)
- Washington Public Employees Association (WPEA)
- Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association (MEBA)
- IAM District 751
- Con: 1 + 119 = 120 (10)
- Other: 1 + 0 = 1 (0)
- Pro: 4 + 27 = 31 (2)
- Proponents acknowledged the bill was one of their highest priorities while recognizing the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (NLRA) explicitly excluded public employees as well as agricultural workers from the rights granted in addition to noting the unusual 2010 precedent of the Washington State Public Employment Relations Commission (WA PERC) being tasked to manage collective bargaining rights of private sector symphony musicians. BEC Vice President Mike Asai alleged systemic unfair treatment of cannabis production workers and suggested the bill should be regarded as conjoined with social equity goals within the sector.
- Producers NW lobbyist Ezra Eickmeyer spoke against the bill for singling out the cannabis sector.
- The Cannabis Alliance Executive Director Caitlein Ryan pointed out the bill aimed to support cannabis “agricultural workers” but cannabis production had been excluded from statutory definitions of agricultural processes by an earlier legislature. She called for redress of that inequity should the legislation be advanced.
- In 2014, legislators passed SB 6505, “Delaying the use of existing tax preferences by the marijuana industry to ensure a regulated and safe transition to the controlled and legal marijuana market in Washington.”
- At publication time, an executive session on the legislation was scheduled for Tuesday April 8th and no amendments had been published.
- Majority Caucus Chair Lillian Ortiz-Self introduced legislation in the House to establish collective bargaining rights for cannabis “agricultural workers.”
- HB 1141 - Cannabis Production Unions
- Also on Saturday, Washington State House Appropriations Committee (WA House APP) members amended and recommended legislation to recoup revenue from a State program helping businesses transition to worker ownership.
- HB 2047 - Rescinding ESOP Transition Support
- Democrat Representative Adison Richards introduced legislation in the House on March 24th which would eliminate State support for businesses transitioning to employee ownership models such as ESOPs, employee ownership trusts (EOTs), and cooperatives.
- See the bill text, bill analysis, and fiscal note for more details.
- On Thursday April 3rd, WA House APP members heard testimony entirely opposed to ending the WA Commerce program to recoup a $1.45M biennial operating expense.
- Legislation co-sponsor and WA House APP Vice Chair Mia Gregerson published amendment VANJ 204 on Thursday afternoon which was described as having the following effects:
- “Changes the tax reporting periods in which the business and occupation tax credit for costs related to converting a qualifying business to a worker-owned cooperative, employee ownership trust, or an employee stock ownership plan can be earned and claimed such that:
- “(1) Credits can be earned for tax reporting periods starting on or before June 30, 2025, rather than June 30, 2029; and
- “(2) Credits cannot be claimed on returns filed for tax periods starting on or after July 1, 2026, rather than July 1, 2030.
- “Changes the expiration date for the tax credit from July 1, 2030, to July 1, 2026.”
- “Changes the tax reporting periods in which the business and occupation tax credit for costs related to converting a qualifying business to a worker-owned cooperative, employee ownership trust, or an employee stock ownership plan can be earned and claimed such that:
- During the executive session on Saturday, Gregerson framed her amendment as a technical change adjusting dates to comport with the elimination of the program in the underlying bill. WA House APP Assistant Ranking Minority Member Joe Schmick concurred with the change and the amendment was adopted in a voice vote. However, in his remarks on passage, Schmick opposed the bill by pointing out the program had only been established in 2023, had only had the opportunity to assist five businesses during that time, and he knew of several mobile home parks which were considering a transition to a member-ownership model. Representative Beth Doglio joined republicans in opposing the recommendation, but the majority held 18-12-1.
- Following recommendation, the legislation would be reported during an upcoming floor session and referred to the Washington State House Rules Committee (WA House RUL) for calendaring.
- Democrat Representative Adison Richards introduced legislation in the House on March 24th which would eliminate State support for businesses transitioning to employee ownership models such as ESOPs, employee ownership trusts (EOTs), and cooperatives.
- HB 2047 - Rescinding ESOP Transition Support
- There were no introductions of cannabis-related legislation on Saturday, and none staged for Monday.
- There were no introductions in the House or the Senate staged for Monday April 7th.
- On Monday, fiscal committees would continue working ahead of the next cutoff on Tuesday and the Washington State Senate Rules Committee (WA Senate RULE) planned to calendar more bills.
- No cannabis-related bills were scheduled for consideration by fiscal committees on Monday.
- 12:30pm: WA Senate RULE - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- According to the announcement, members would have an opportunity to vote on two packages of bills, gubernatorial appointment confirmations and regular legislation selected by committee leadership, in addition to being granted one member pull.
- At publication time, two cannabis-related bills were available for calendaring:
- At publication time, two gubernatorial appointment confirmations were available for calendaring: